Refrigerator counter



- E. J. LrA FONTAINE REFRIGERATOR COUNTER v M y 1.-192&

Filed Dec. 1923 Patented May 1, 1928.

- UNITED STATES EDWARD J. LA. FONTAINE', OI MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

REFRIGERATOR COUNTER.

Application filed December 26, 1988. Serial No. 882,766.

My inventionprovides certain highly important improvements in the construction of refrigerator counters, and generally stated, the invention consists of the novel construction, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

The type of counter herein designated as a refrigerator counter isone in which the compartment for containing anddisplaying meat, vegetables and other perishable articles of food is covered with a glass case and the containing space is kept cold either by artificial refrigeration or b ice, but the invention is particularly inten ed for use in connection with artificial refrigeration.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indi- Cate like parts throughout the several views. Referring to the drawin s:

Fig. 1 is a perspective 5 owing a refrig erator counter embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 22 of Fi 1; and

Fig. 3 is an en arged fragmentary view showing one of the hinges for connecting the control work board or leaves to the containing receptacle.

The body of the counter is an elongated rectangular structure, preferably a wooden box 4 supported on a suitable rectangular framework 5. A work board, preferably in the form of several leaves 6, is connected to the rear up er portion of the box 4 by double-jointed inges 7 that permit said leaves to be turned upward, inward and then completely downward against the back or exterior of the innermost side of the box. Normally, however, the leaves 6 at their free ends rest upon vertical posts or brackets 8,

rigidly secured to the bottom of the box. T e box is provided with a heavy lining 9, of a good insulating material, such as chipped cork, which, in turn, is faced on its lnner surface with a sheet metal lining 10. Here it will be noted that the flanged lower ends of the posts 8 are directl secured to the bottom of the box, being directl secured on the bottom of the lining 10. n the space underlying the work-board-forming leaves 6 and at the rear of the posts 8, there is a refrigerator-containing space 11. Preferably, a woven wire screen 12 is attached to the posts-'8 and is extended longitudinally from end to end of the box and vertically from the top of the posts to a line considerably in the form of a woven wire screen having. sup orting legs 17 and adapted to support a p urality of food-containing trays 16 or to directly support articles of food placed directly onthe said screen. Here it will be" noted that the rack 16 is spaced above the bottom of the compartment 13, so that cold air may freely circiilate thereunder and upward through the rack-forming screen 16. Here a highly important feature should be noted, to wit: that the display-supportingrack 16 is located far below thelevel of the upper portion of the insulated or solid box body and far below all of the glass or transparent portion of the show case. This will support the meat or other perishable food where the cold circulating air will be forced all around the same. In practice, it has been found that the temperature of the air below a horizontal plane at the vtop of the insulated box is very much lower than the temsv perature of the air further upward or within the space enclosed by-the glass. Otherwise stated, the goods displayed on the rack are not visible from a level. below the top of the insulated box, but are set down into the box within the circulating currents of cold air and the warmer air will be pocketed witlr'n the upwardly projected transparent portion of the show case.

It is further im ortant to note that the upper portion of t e; bottom of the entire box, or that portion afforded by the bottom lining 10, inclines forwardly from the bottom ofthe refrigerator-containing space 11 to the front of the display compartment 13 and from thence is rounded upward and slightly turned backward. This performs an important function which'will be presently "noted.

In some cases, ice may be placed in the refrigerator-containing space 11 but inthe preferred arrangement, an artiiieial refrig erator, comprising along cylinder 18 conbrine-circulating coils 19, is extended longitudinally through said space 11 but is spaced from the bottom, top and rear walls the ra'clr v in temperature, it will be 'drawn backward 3 thereof, being, as shown,.thu s supported by brackets 20. ,With the arrangement escribed, the air will, of course, be reduced in temperature by the refrigerator 18-19 and the coldest air will fall and, by the inclined bottom will be directed forwardly under 16 and, as the air is raised slightly over or around the articles contained on the rack and over thetop of the c linder 18, so that the circulation will be a most entirel as indicated by thearrows on Fig. 2, a though there will be some circulation of cold air upward through the screen or perforate rack, which also facilitates the coolin action. The circulation under the vertica screen 12 will be preferably free, but the backward circulation toward the cylinder 18 will be split up and the returnin air will be directly against substantially t e entire surface of said cylinder. The curved formation of the front portion of the lining 10 also assists somewhat in directing the returnin air toward the articles contained on the rac Here it should be further noted that the insulated front portion 'of the box extends upward to a horizontal line that is approximately tanglential with the to of the c linder 19, so t at substantially a l of the circu lation of air in the cooling action will be below the u per portion of the insulated walls of the box and there will be but ver little circulation within the lass case 14 an hence, there will be but 1i e waste of cold rtem rature due to opening of the doors 15. In t is wa a maximum of efliciency is obtained. T e numeral 21 indicates a drain pipe extending downward from the front and lowest portion of thelining 10 to a suitable point of discharge.

In actual practice, this refrigerator counter has been found of extremely high efliciency and great convenience, as well as ornamental in appearance, and sanitary.

What I claim is:

A refrigerating display device for food products comprising a casing adapted to be placed upon a counter, said casin containing two compartments arranged si e by side,

'one of which constitutes a food chamber and the other of which constitutes a-refrigeratin chamber, an inclined false bottom for said food chamber which has its hi hest end at the junction between said cham rs and In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDWARD J. LA FONTAINE. 

